Canon Lawyers Society of the Philippines celebrates its 27th National Annual Convention of the Philippines and paid its visit to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu (BMSN) today, February 20, 2019.

With a purpose of uniting the Philippine church and the state, part of the activities conducted by Canon lawyers is to visit historical and religious places here in Cebu.

Canon lawyers across the country came to join the said activity and expressed their astonishment to Cebu particularly in the Basilica where they enjoyed roaming around the BMSN compound.

Rev. Fr. Jacinto Jose, Bishop of Urdaneta, Pangasinan, stated that this annual activity serves as an avenue for them to discuss things about the church and about what it does to the people.

“We do this every year where we can discuss so many things about the church and about what it does to people -serving others- but now, we have a topic which is the collaboration between the Philippine church and the state. We are so happy in Cebu [because] at least we can experience not only the culture of Cebu but also the faith of Cebu because it is in this place that Christianity came and started to grow and spread throughout the Philippines. “ Fr. Jacinto added.

According to Rev. Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA, BMSN archivist and resident historian, he is very grateful that professionals like Canon lawyers visited the Basilica spreading its good purpose for the betterment of the church and the state.

“Naa man pud implications ang Canon law nga naa sa atong civil law so mao na siguro nga part of it [is] to update themselves on what’s happening especially sa state and sa implications importante baya na nga ma link nila ang mga nuisances sa simbahan of course sa state pud.  Grateful kayo ko.” said Fr. Reyes.

(Canon law has also implications in our civil law. It may be the reason where they have to update themselves on what is happening especially to the state and the implications. It is important that they have to link the nuisances of the church and the state.) / Analyn Conocono, USJ-R Communication Intern